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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28226514">Dangerous Weapons</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/distractionpie/pseuds/distractionpie'>distractionpie</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Disagreements, Gen, Humour, Jedi Lineages (Star Wars), Star Wars AU - Soft Wars, The habits of being a big brother die hard, The hazards of Padawans, Z-6 Rotary Blaster Canon</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 15:48:01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,207</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28226514</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/distractionpie/pseuds/distractionpie</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Mace is called upon to mediate a dispute regarding his grand-padawan's education.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>34</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>122</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Open Source Soft Wars, Soft Wars Fic Exchange</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Dangerous Weapons</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/ArwenLune/gifts">Primarybufferpanel (ArwenLune)</a>.</li>



    </ul></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The first time Mace had met Caleb as Depa's padawan rather than part of a clan of initiates, the boy had struck him as rather shy. That impression hadn't lasted long.</p><p>So when Caleb bounds up to him, two corridors down from the council chambers, Mace is not surprised, merely bows a greeting, which Caleb returns.</p><p>His hands and posture are perfect, Depa has taught him well, even if bouncing on the balls of his feet is a touch unorthodox.</p><p>The troopers behind him are also standing straight, hands neatly behind their backs, but with far less enthusiasm, looking like they could have stepped directly out of a propaganda poster.</p><p>“Padawan,” he acknowledges. “Commander Grey, Captain Styles. What brings you to this level?”</p><p>“We’re requesting your assistance,” Caleb says. “As an arbitrator.”</p><p>Styles grimaces, Grey’s expression remains calm but his tension is obvious.</p><p>Caleb doesn’t seem to notice. It's likely that given his own confidence it hasn't occurred to him that, although Depa has done much to cure her men of any awe of Mace, they might still be less comfortable having their disagreement aired in this manner.</p><p>It will do none of them any favours for Mace not to address the matter now it has been raised though.</p><p>“What seems to be the issue?”</p><p>Caleb shoots Commander Grey a wounded look. His calm expression holds, but Mace can sense that it’s a close fought battle.</p><p>“Grey said I could learn to use a rotary blaster,” Caleb discloses, “But now I'm ready for the lesson, he says he won't teach me.”</p><p>Little Caleb Dume, operating one of the Republic’s standard issue rotary canons? Mace can see why the commander might be reluctant. It’s more surprising that he’d have agreed to it in the first place.</p><p>“The Z-6 rotary blaster canon?” he clarifies.</p><p>Commander Grey nods stiffly.</p><p>“And you offered him instruction?”</p><p>Depa's men were not children, but looking at the trio standing before him now Mace cannot help but be struck by the fact all three of them are similar in years.</p><p>“I agreed he could learn to use one,” Grey acknowledges. “Once he could lift it.”</p><p>“And,” Caleb says, with childish certainty. “I can.”</p><p>It’s Captain Styles’ grumble which clarifies the matter.</p><p>“With the Force doesn’t count.”</p><p>Ah.</p><p>Mace has seen how well the majority of clones handle the younglings, once they get past the initial wariness of dealing with <em>Jedi</em> children. He hasn't had occasion to visit the cloning facilities on Kamino, but it's all consistent with Shaak Ti's reports on the great effort the mature clones go to in protecting and nurturing their younger brothers. Such a deal would have bought Commander Grey months, if not years, in dealing with an overeager cadet, given that the blasters in question likely weighed more Caleb did.</p><p>Unfortunately, the load is well within what is easy for a Padawan, or even an initiate, to lift with the force — at least when in a state of undisturbed focus.</p><p>However, since the operation of such a weapon required more than just lifting it and any situation where Caleb was likely to have cause to use one would contain any number of distractions, Mace had to agree with the Commander that the Force assisted method Caleb seemed to be proposing was unwise.</p><p>As admirable as Wave company’s padawan readiness assessment had been, it wasn't at all surprising that they weren't prepared for Caleb Dume. Mace had read the various guides Torrent company's command and medical staff had put together and they were excellent work (copies had already been added to the recommended reading list for anyone considering taking their first padawan, albeit with the hope that they'd soon be heavily caveated as padawans on the battlefield ceased to be necessary) but as thorough as they were, Torrent had only a singular data source and, even setting aside that every youngling had their own unique temperament and needs, the few years between Caleb and Padawan Tano made a great deal of difference.</p><p>Issues such as this were bound to arise.</p><p>Mace could simply prohibit Caleb’s ambition, but then so could have Commander Grey, as it had been established early on that in general matters the maturity and training of a clone commander outranked a padawan commander unless their master had explicitly deemed it appropriate to promote them to leadership.</p><p>The facts remained that firstly, and likely the reason Grey had allowed this matter to be brought to Mace instead of exerting his authority, Caleb might well feel betrayed to be dismissed in the face of his righteous certainty that he had met the requirements the commander had set, the result of which would be in the very least the addition of a trembling lip as his aggrieved air was advanced to one of crushed dreams.</p><p>And furthermore, the lesson of this misunderstanding between them would be far less effectively learned if Mace simply dictated the outcome rather than letting Caleb recognise, as he suspected the vode already had, the difference in expectations which had lead to this situation. It was unlikely to be the last time Commander Grey would have to adjust his methods to account for the particular brand of trouble that was a determined youngling aided by the force and Caleb could only benefit from being more mindful that direct application of the force was not the appropriate solution to all problems.</p><p>“Force assisted shooting is a very useful skill,” he observes, placing a hand on Caleb’s shoulder. “And I admire your initiative padawan, as I believe most Jedi restrict themselves to small arms or stationary weapons when applying such methods due to the level of control required.”</p><p>Caleb beams. Grey and Styles exchange distinctly alarmed looks.</p><p>“However,” Mace hastens to assure them, “It would hardly be fair to expect your troopers to train you in a discipline with which they have no prior experience, and I believe Master Drallig is in the temple at present. If you have no other plans, I believe he would be happy to aid you in planning the complex course of study towards mastering such an advanced technique.”</p><p>The prospect of the additional work didn’t dim Caleb’s grin in the slightest, but it did bring looks of relief to both of the vode.</p><p>At the very least, two Jedi masters ought to be adequate spotters for when attempting to levitate and operate the blaster simultaneously proved more challenging that Caleb seems to anticipate. If the experience dissuaded him, then the issue would be put to rest until such time as the padawan had grown enough to learn as Commander Grey had no doubt intended to teach him. If it did not, then Master Drallig would surely find it a pleasure to work with the vode in establishing a rigorous training regimen for Caleb to ensure that his skills were up to all three of their standards in order to advance to the further study he desired.</p><p>Depa might not be particularly pleased to have her padawan supplement his saberwork with a blaster canon nearly as large as he was, but, as she had so spiritedly taught Mace, it was the nature of padawans to learn precisely the skills their masters wished they wouldn’t.</p>
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